

It is, however, quite difficult to establish an order of procedure suit- 

 able to other requirements than those of the military service, but even 

 for the latter purpose a more systematic anatomical and osteological 

 arrangement would no doubt prove in actual practice distinctly more 

 useful, and possibly less time-consuming than the one provided for 

 under the revised standards of examination. 



SUGGESTED ORDER OF PHYSICAL EXAMINATION 



1 The height, weight and chest meas- 10 The extremities 



urement 11 Lungs and chest-wall 



2 The head 12 The heart and blood-vessels 



3 The eyes 13 The abdomen 



4 The ears 14 Genito-urinary organs and venereal 



5 The mouth, nose, fauces, pharynx, diseases 



larynx, trachea, esophagus 15 Mental and nervous diseases 



6 Dental requirements 16 Skin 



7 Neck 17 General 



8 Scapulae 18 Temporary defects 



9 Spine 19 Malingering 



This suggested order of examination, however, is merely a com- 

 promise. It fails particularly in the direction of the obviously practical 

 requirement that the more serious physical impairment should be certain 

 of first ascertainment, rather than the minor physical defects and 

 deficiencies which also disqualify for military service. If this point 

 of view were hereafter to prevail, it would probably be best to examine 

 the lungs immediately after the chest measurements and to follow with 

 the examinations of the heart and blood vessels, the abdomen and the 

 genito-urinary system. This arrangement would give the preference 

 to the ascertainment of serious pathological impairments over less 

 important physical defects, deformities and deficiencies. If followed 

 more or less in this order, the bodily impairments of general public 

 importance, especially in connection with public health activities and 

 preventive medicine, would be ascertained with reasonable thorough- 

 ness according to their relative significance. Valid objections may, of 

 course, be raised on practical grounds against a complete examination 

 in each and every case, for, as has well been said by Major General 

 Crowder, the object of the Selective Draft examination is to raise an 

 army and not to furnish information, statistical or otherwise ; but 

 nevertheless it might be considered well worth while on the part of 

 the nation to subject each and every registrant to a thorough physical 

 examination and to ascertain all the existing defects, deficiencies and 

 impairments, with a view to their subsequent treatment, cure or cor- 

 rection, rather than to abruptly conclude the examination with the 

 determination of the first disqualification sufficient for unconditional 

 rejection for military purposes only. 



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